Underwood urges Haslam veto

Underwood said on Twitter that Haslam can "expect me at his front door" if he signs the measure, which requires anyone who takes video or photographs of animal abuse to turn the footage over to law enforcement within 48 hours. The bill would restrict hidden-camera investigations into animal cruelty, such as recent footage recorded of trainers abusing Tennessee Walking Horses.

Haslam has vetoed only one bill from the past two legislative sessions, a measure that took aim at a Vanderbilt University nondiscrimination policy. More often he has let bills go into law without his signature, an action meant to signal his displeasure. In this case, it also could save him a visit from an angry country music star.

- Chas Sisk

2015 mayor's race polling starts early

We weren't going to report on the first phone survey of the 2015 Nashville mayor's race until we could put a face behind the polling, but now the cat is out of the bag.

In his weekly column, veteran journalist Pat Nolan reported on a recent phone survey that asked participants about a slew of potential candidates, a description that matches what The Tennessean has also heard.

At this point, the person or entity that paid for the poll remains a mystery. The result is speculation.

Initial buzz about the poll, which The Tennessean learned about on April 6, was that it surely originated from Metro Councilwoman Megan Barry, who has made it pretty clear she's strongly considering a run for the mayor's office.

Barry said it didn't come from her.

Indeed, it would be a little odd for a candidate to have the sort of campaign cash to devote to polling in an election more than two years away.

That got us thinking about various organizations or political action committees capable of paying for a phone survey right now - say, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. But chamber president Ralph Schulz said it wasn't his group.

Here's what we do know: Someone or some group is casting a wide net to size up the mayor's race. The poll gauged the potential candidacies of Barry, Schulz, at-large Councilman Jerry Maynard, Vice Mayor Diane Neighbors, former school board chair David Fox, Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall and businessman Frank Garrison (no relationship to me).

Left off the list were a few other potential candidates: businessman Bill Freeman, a major Democratic Party donor who could self-finance a campaign; charter school founder Jeremy Kane, who recently announced that he's leaving his position a year from now, and former U.S. Attorney Jerry Martin, who recently resigned to go back into private practice.

- Joey Garrison

Herron: Citizens being shortchanged on TennCare

Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Roy Herron used Monday's deadline to file federal income tax returns as an opportunity to decry again Gov. Bill Haslam's decision not to expand TennCare, the state's Medicaid program.

"This is simply the sickest Tax Day in Tennessee history," Herron told reporters at a press conference in Legislative Plaza. "Tennesseans today will file returns showing we're paying the IRS $47 billion. But the radical Republican legislators and the governor are making sure Tennesseans don't get our share."

In what's becoming a pattern for Tennessee Democrats' new leader, Herron had made-for-TV props handy for the newser - this time a pair of oversized checks. One, made out to "Anywhere BUT Tennessee" for $1.4 billion, represented the sum that wil go to citizens of other states because Haslam has not expanded TennCare. The second, for the same amount and stamped "Stop Payment," represented the payment that would have gone to Tennessee had the program been expanded.

"It's not Washington who's to blame for $1.4 billion going to pay for health care anywhere but Tennessee," Herron said. "It's the radical Republicans in Tennessee."